Halloween has become increasingly popular over the past nearly 100 years. Here are some interesting facts and figures to prove what we already know. Halloween rocks!

Halloween Statistics

41 million-The approximate number of potential trick or treaters that may be out and about this year on Halloween night. (Don’t worry—they won’t all be in your neighborhood!)

116.7 million-The approximate number of potential “stops” for those hungry, candy seeking trick or treaters.

92%-Percentage of households with residents who think of their neighborhoods as safe; additionally 78% said there was no place within 1 mile of their residence that they would be afraid to walk at night.

One billion pounds-quantity of pumpkin products produced by major pumpkin producing states in 2010.

1,177-number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produce chocolate and cocoa products.

409-Number of U.S. establishments that manufacture non-cocoa confectionary products.

24.7 pounds-per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2010.

Some cool places around the U.S. that you might want to consider spending your Halloween in!

Transylvania County, NC (pop. 30, 187)

Tombstone, AZ (pop. 1,566)

Pumpkin Center, NC (pop. 2,228)

Pumpkin Bend, AR (pop. 307)

Cape Fear, NC (pop. 15, 711)

Skull Creek, NE

All Things Candy Corn

It’s not a secret that Candy corn is one of America’s all-time favorite Halloween candies. About 20 million pounds of Candy corn will be sold this Halloween! How completely corny! Candy corn is actually a pretty simple concoction made of sugar, corn syrup and water. The crafty people at the Goelitz company add a special ingredient with marshmallow in it that gives their candy corn a truly “gourmet” taste. The best candy corn is super sweet tasting and has an almost vanilla flavor to it. It should be soft when you bite it (if it’s not…uh, you might not want to eat it.)

It’s fun to know the facts about what you are eating and this year when you are gobbling up all that delicious candy corn—you’ll know exactly why you love it!

Halloween Rules

Are there Halloween Rules? If you follow these rules, chances are that you will survive until next Halloween. If you don’t, next year you may very well be the one doing the haunting!

Avoid trick or treating to any house that is sinking into a hole in the ground.

Do not go down into a basement or cellar when the lights go out to find out what caused it.

Avoid trick or treating at any house that is made of gingerbread.

Don’t go into the yard of a house that has a bloody wood chipper by the sidewalk.

Beware of strangers carrying chainsaws and hiding in the bushes.

Take the hint if you come upon a deserted town. It is that way for a reason.

Stay away from locations such as Amityville, Elm Street, or any small town in Maine.

If a monster is chasing you, don’t go into an abandoned building up to the highest floor. There is no way to escape except to jump.

If your friends start to show uncharacteristic behavior such as glowing eyes, fascination with blood and increased hairiness, kill them.

Dress appropriately. When investigating a sound that goes bump in the night, don’t wear a flimsy nightgown. Always carry a flashlight, not a candle.

On a dark stormy night if your car runs out of gas, do not go to the nearest deserted house with eerie green light coming through the windows and gargoyles on the front steps.

Never summon a demon out loud, even if it is a joke.

Do not stand in, around or anywhere near a grave, crypt or any other home of the dead.

Do not go looking for witches in the Maryland countryside.

If your child’s head starts spinning around or they speak in a deep, unknown voice in another language GET OUT!

If you find out your house growls, don’t go any closer.

The number one house to avoid-any house that wasn’t there a few seconds ago.

Do not mention any demons names around an open flame. This includes fireplaces.

Do not mess around with combining DNA technology unless you are absolutely sure what you are doing. Don’t be surprised with what creature comes from your chemical combination skills.

If you find yourself alone on a rowboat in the middle of a foggy lake in the middle of the night and you see bubbles coming up from the water—ROW and ROW FAST!

Halloween Jokes

What does a vampire never order at a restaurant? A stake sandwich.

Why do mummies have trouble keeping friends? They’re so wrapped up in themselves.

What did the mother ghost say to her children ghosts in the car? Fasten your sheet belts.

When the door opens, you say “Trick or…and then you can’t remember the rest.

By the end of the night you have a trick or treat bag full of restraining orders.

You have to carefully choose your costume so as not to dislodge your hairpiece.

You’re the only Power Ranger that requires a walker.

You have to work hard to avoid going to houses where your exes live.

Halloween Pranks

These pranks are all in the spirit of Halloween and are just for fun. We do not under any circumstances advocate harming anyone’s person or property as that is never, ever cool. Anytime you play a prank on someone, however, keep in mind that there is always that little thing called “retaliation” to consider…

Foggy Mirror: In the bathroom use your finger to draw a really creepy message like “I am watching you right now!” or something equally disturbing. Breathe heavily on the message and you will be able to see it. The next person to fog up the mirror will cause this message to reappear again---very freaky!!!

Ewww: Pass out plastic doggie poops as treats to selected special “friends”—gross but very funny.

Awaken the dead: Lie still wearing dark clothing at night when you know your friends are going to be walking by. As they do, outstretch your arms and pretend to be an awakening dead person. You are going to give them quite a Halloween fright!

More than a little nuts: Dress in a hospital gown on Halloween night. Walk around muttering things like, “They think I am crazy…but I’m not…and I’m not going back!!!”

Now you’ve done it: Squirt some fake blood in copious amounts inside the sink or the shower on Halloween to scare whoever goes in there next. This is an especially good prank for college students that live in dormitories.

Reverse trick or treating: Dress up for Halloween and go trick or treating. Knock on a door. When the person answers, put candy in HIS bowl. Say thank you and leave.

It’s alive: Dress up as a scarecrow or other “yard art”. When the trick or treaters walk by—shout BOO!

A slimy situation: Smear petroleum jelly or other slippery solution on your doorknobs. Watch as your friends or family members try to open them!

Jack Swap: Take your neighbors Jack-O-Lanterns and swap them for your own. Act innocent and scratch your head when they notice!

How bad do you want it: Take a dollar bill and attach it to some fishing line. Lay the dollar bill on the ground, give yourself plenty of slack and hide a ways away. When the person tries to pick up the bill, yank it away and continue to do so as long as you can get away with it.

Early Christmas present: Get your most obnoxious friends together on Halloween night and go Christmas caroling. Watch the reactions of the people who are expecting trick or treaters to be at their door.

Random Trick or Treater: When you are ready to close up shop on Halloween night, tell the last trick or treater he is the 100th (or whatever) trick or treater to show up at your door and so he gets the rest of the candy. Dump the entire bucket in his bag. (Pranks don’t always have to be mean!) Don’t forget to shut off the lights after that!

Hang in there: It’s funny on Halloween to have some random weird things hanging or stuck up in your trees. Don’t put anything there that might fall out and harm someone, but try bikes, long underwear, lawn mowers, anything goes.

Halloween Miami style: Plastic flamingos all over your yard are a great Halloween prank! Nothing says Halloween like flamingos, right?